Tobias is Just Getting Started!

February 3, 2022

Tobias is originally from Chicago and had been working as a courier since his arrival in BC in 2015. In March 2020, due to COVID-19, he was laid off.

Tobias has always dreamed of having his own restaurant; with a love for cooking and with more than six years of cooking experience and both a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and an MBA in Business Communication, he had a lot of what he needed to make his dream come true.

With no restaurant experience in BC, Tobias came to the Langley WorkBC Centre looking for assistance – he needed help with business planning and with marketing, assistance to obtain a business licence and support to ensure he understood and complied with all health regulations. Tobias was motivated to start his business to make better money to care for his family and he also wanted to play a bigger role in his community.

Staff at the Centre enrolled Tobias in workshops that enhanced his communication skills and his knowledge of the local labour market. He was referred to the Self-Employment Program at Douglas College. This program supported him to develop a solid business plan and to launch his business.

“Tommies Jerk”, Tobias’ food truck, is not even a year old – he has two employees and his food truck is recognized throughout Langley as a “hidden gem”. He has recently been nominated for four different awards: New Business of the Year, the Business Resiliency Award, the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and the Clovie Award for Top Restaurant in Cloverdale.

Taking inspiration from his Jamaican mother who was an amazing cook, he fuses the “jerk” with a Mexican flair to make jerk tacos and jerk burritos. Read the articles below to learn more about Tobias’ drive, spirit and his food.

New Jamaican Eatery Open in Cloverdale
https://www.langleyadvancetimes.com/news/new-jamaican-eatery-open-in-cloverdale/

Hidden Tommies Jerk – Surrey Gem Restaurant Review
https://www.surreyeats.com/communities/cloverdale/tommies-jerk-surrey-hidden-gem-restaurant-review/

604: Tommies Jerk (Cloverdale)
https://www.joyeeats.ca/post/604-tommies-jerk

You can find Tommies Jerk at the Cloverdale Community Kitchen – 5337 180th Street, Surrey